Report: Woman accused of stealing from elderly patient under her care

Orangeburg County investigators have arrested a 50-year-old woman accused of stealing money from a 93-year-old woman in her care.

Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said Melinda Lee has been charged with exploitation of a vulnerable adult after taking more than $4,100 of the senior’s money.

“This is pretty low when you’re acting as a caregiver and in your place of meeting the needs of a vulnerable lady, you take money knowing this victim doesn’t have the ability to protect her property,” the sheriff said. “That’s simply unacceptable by any scope of the imagination.”

A report states bond was set on Lee at $5,000 cash or surety during a hearing on Tuesday.

OCSO investigators said they were told in August of possible missing funds from the victim’s financial account.

According to OCSO officials, the daughter of the victim said she noticed several “questionable” transactions in her mother’s banking records.

"An investigation into the banking account, evidence was found the 93-year-old victim’s financial transaction card had been used in multiple Midlands locations over a five month period beginning in March," OCSO officials said.

Authorities said Lee was a certified nursing assistant hired to provide in-home visits twice daily for the victim.